The Origin of Feminism

In this podcast episode, the guest reflects on her journey into feminism, starting from her upbringing in post-war Italy. Growing up in a patriarchal society, she rebelled against the limitations and social expectations imposed on women from a young age. She became aware of the devalued concept of women in society and saw growing into womanhood as a defeat. When the feminist movement began in the United States in the late 1960s, she embraced it instinctively, even though the theory and intellectual aspects came later. Her encounter with the work of Maria Rosita La Costa in the 1970s provided a crucial perspective on the discrimination women faced in capitalist society. It revealed that domestic work, viewed as unproductive, was actually vital for reproducing labor power. This realization led her to challenge the patriarchal system and shift the focus of feminism from the industrial worker to the importance of reproductive and domestic work.